My Next Reads

Now on to reading The Lost Recipe for Happiness by Barbara O'Neal.

In this sumptuous new novel, Barbara O’Neal offers readers a celebration of food, family, and love as a woman searches for the elusive ingredient we’re all hoping to find….

It’s the opportunity Elena Alvarez has been waiting for–the challenge of running her own kitchen in a world-class restaurant. Haunted by an accident of which she was the lone survivor, Elena knows better than anyone how to survive the odds. With her faithful dog, Alvin, and her grandmother’s recipes, Elena arrives in Colorado to find a restaurant in as desperate need of a fresh start as she is–and a man whose passionate approach to food and life rivals her own. Owner Julian Liswood is a name many people know but a man few do. He’s come to Aspen with a troubled teenage daughter and a dream of the kind of stability and love only a family can provide. But for Elena, old ghosts don’t die quietly, yet a chance to find happiness at last is worth the risk.

 And then, Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks.

Cover of Safe Haven

When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.

But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo's empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

~Love It~

So, I've found my new favorite author and inspiration, Sarah Addison Allen. I just finished the audiobook for The Girl Who Chased the Moon and I love, love, loved it!! I just had to order the actual book as well as her first two books. Absolutely cannot wait until they get here so that I can get lost within the magical pages. She has such an amazing way with words that just leaves you breathless and wanting more! I'm so glad her fourth novel comes out in less than a month, that gives me time to devour the others well before the release date of The Peach Keeper.

Cover of The Girl Who Chased the Moon: A Novel

This is my other little man.  A very rare moment for him, he is usually a very busy guy!  He loves music and at 4 years young, he can pick up on a song the first time hearing it and makes up his own songs, also very capable of making his words flow amazingly with a tune.  I see a guitar for Christmas in his future but probably not this year's though, since he tends to tear everything up.  But he could definately be my future rockstar! :)  I so love my little guys!!

I so loved being in the bleachers and watching my baby out there on the field, such an amazing rush of pure pride!! He looks awesome running the ball and I'm so glad that I have many years ahead to watch my little athlete! Run it baby!!  Geez, I miss the games already and I can't wait for next season! Isn't he a sight with that ball tucked away in his arm?!  My little man of the Fall! :)

~Forgotten Dreams~

Ok, so a friend and I were talking at work one day about how we aren't completely content with where we are at in our lives, both of us feeling as though we are stuck in the local job choice of convenience and misery. He had mentioned how we are both good at drawing and he asked me if I thought maybe I could do anything in the art industry; of course, I said no, that's not something that I'm interested in fulfilling. He had said that he always wanted to illustrate comic books but he wasn't very good at the story part of comics. So then he asks me if I've ever thought about writing since I love books so much and I always loved literature class in school, hearing this said aloud just kind of triggered something inside and brought a lost dream back to reality. I told that yes, actually that was something that I had thought of, many years ago and the dream got completely forgotten about through my high school years. Thus, being the years that I became quite the social gatherer. Oh, how I wish I would have stuck with my dream of becoming a writer, I could have so much more accomplished by now at the age of 27. But I guess like the old cliche says, better late than never, eh. So now I'm all pumped up from this conversation, gathering information, and writing different scenes and ideas that come to mind. I'm still absolutely thrilled with the idea of my dream finally happening, even if I don't ever get a book published, this is something that I just simply enjoy doing. But I have a problem, about five or six years ago I began having pains in my hand when I would write very long reports for my job and if I ignored them my hand would start feeling prickly all over. So now that I've began to live my dream it has gotten even worse, now it's by half a page being written my hand is going numb and the pain is shooting to my elbow. And not just when I'm writing either, it happens when I peel potatoes for dinner, scrape food out of a pan, or any painting of my house. As of right now though, I can still type with no problems. But nonetheless, I believe it's time for me to go to the doctor and have something done about it now. And I also think that it's time to purchase myself a little notebook computer in the near future, love my desktop but I can't take it everywhere I go. :)

the ending to 2009

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